Last Updated on: 8th July 2026, 12:19 am
A lot of visitors to Samarkand hop over the border for a brief trip to Haft Kul, one of Tajikistan’s most impressive natural attractions. But for history and archaeology lovers, the city of Panjakent is home to two prominent archaeological sites: Ancient Panjakent and Sarazm.
Both sites are extensive, but you won’t find much more than old foundations. Still, the area is home to no less than three excellent museums where you can learn more about them. Also on display are the beautiful murals (or at least their reproductions) for which Ancient Panjakent was known.
In the following guide, we’ll be covering how to go about visiting the ruins before or after your visit to Haft Kul, along with different options for reaching Panjakent from either Samarkand or elsewhere in Tajikistan.
Check the end of the article to learn more about transport and accommodation.
Ancient Panjakent
Just a couple of hours after my arrival in Tajikistan, I decided to go out and see the ruins of Ancient Panjakent. I ended up going with a driver on the street, but walking is also an option (learn more about reaching the site further below).
At the entrance is a small, one-room museum where visitors purchase their tickets for the site as a whole.
At the time of writing, tickets cost 30 somoni, or about $3 USD, with no extra fee for photography.
Ancient Panjakent was the easternmost city of the region of Sogdia, and it largely thrived from the 5th to the 8th century AD. But a settlement was founded here as early as the 2nd century BC.
The Sogdians were an Iranian people who were among the most prominent traders of the ancient Silk Road. They not only operated within Sogdia itself, but Sogdian merchants traveled far and wide to set up shop in other major Silk Road cities.
They were present in Tibet, India, and Mongolia, and they may have even been around in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. And they had a particularly strong influence in China.
For example, they heavily influenced the religion and culture of the Uyghurs of Xinjiang, while Sogdian tombs have been discovered in Xi’an. In fact, Sogdian robes even became highly fashionable amongst Tang-era women.
Though the Sogdians played a big role in the spread of Buddhism, the prominent religion practiced here in Ancient Panjakent was Zoroastrianism. But Hinduism was also practiced to some degree here as well.
But given the central geography of Sogdiana – which stretched from here to Paykend and Varaksha near Bukhara – it’s not surprising to see how it absorbed religions and philosophies from both the west and east.
Other religions practiced here include Manichaeism and Nestorian Christianity.
A unified Sogdian kingdom or empire never existed. Rather, Sogdia was more like a group of city-states with a shared culture and language. As such, no Sogdian kings or generals stand out as prominent historical figures.
But we know that thanks to being such adept merchants, the Sogdian homeland flourished. Not only were they renowned craftsmen, but the Sogdians created some of ancient Central Asia’s most vivid murals.
In fact, traces of murals were discovered at no less than a third of Ancient Panjakent’s houses! Numerous murals were also found at the ruins of Afrosiyab in Samarkand.
Today, most of the originals are in the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, so what you see at the on-site museum are largely reproductions. But some of the less-significant or badly damaged fragments on display here do seem to be original.
As we’ll cover in a future guide, you can also see additional artifacts from Ancient Panjakent at the National Museum of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.
Just across from the museum is a staircase leading up to the ruins. Panjakent was once a fortified city surrounded by walls and bastions. It featured a citadel, necropolis, a residential area, and a sacred precinct.
And archaeologists have discovered that one section of the city was also home to numerous workshops for craftsmen.
The Sogdians created a lot of their own items to trade around the world, and they were especially respected as silversmiths. But they also traded a wide variety of goods from other countries – including slaves.
The ruins of Ancient Panjakent are vast, spreading out to around 13 hectares. And as you won’t encounter any on-site signage, it’s hard to know what section of the city you’re walking through – especially considering how the city was destroyed.
Clearly, Ancient Panjakent has seen better days. But how did it end up in such a state?
When ancient Samarkand, also known as Afrosiyab, fell to Arab invaders in 712, much of its aristocracy fled here, and the city thrived.
But ten years later, the Arabs came here, too, and raised it to the ground.
The citizens fled to the mountains and the city was abandoned for a couple of decades. But upon a peace treaty with the Arabs, Panjakent was reoccupied from 740. It would only last for another forty years or so after that, however.
While some families apparently did remain on the outskirts of the ruined town until the 11th century, Ancient Panjakent’s core would never be rebuilt.
Walking around, I encountered some buildings that appeared to have been recently reconstructed by archaeologists. And I wondered if they were either palaces or temples.
Thus far, archaeologists have discovered two main temples at Ancient Panjakent: one dedicated to Ahura Mazda, and the other to Nana, a local patron goddess. Shrines to Hindu deities were discovered as well.
Fascinatingly, the murals discovered throughout the city further reveal what a syncretic society Panjakent really was, with some depicting Shiva and even scenes from The Mahabharata.
Many other murals, meanwhile, depict the mythical hero Rostam – a major character of the Persian national epic, the Shahnameh.
Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, which he composed in the 11th century, focuses on the chronological succession of kings to have ruled ancient Persia and Greater Iran.
Rostam was not one of these kings, though as a powerful and fearless warrior, he was regarded as ancient Persia’s greatest asset. And throughout the story, he’d outlive many emperors, with his lifespan described as being over 500 years.
But the Panjakent murals depicting Rostam were largely created in the 8th century, revealing how these stories persisted in oral tradition for centuries before Ferdowsi’s lifetime.
Eventually, I reached the end of the ruins and found myself overlooking modern Panjakent below. And beyond it lay the Zarafshan River.
Turning around, I walked back through a different section of the ruins to get back to the museum area.
I happened to be the only visitor to Ancient Panjakent at the time of my visit, making this an ideal place to come for those looking to escape the crowds.
GETTING THERE: The ruins of Ancient Panjakent lie about 2.2 km south of the center of modern Panjakent. So if you like walking, it would take around 30-40 minutes each way to get there. But most people will want a ride, especially considering the intense heat during summer.
Unfortunately, the Yandex Go ride hailing app that’s so useful in neighboring countries doesn’t work here, so you’ll have to do things the old-fashioned way.
Upon arrival at my guest house, the owner’s son offered to take me to the ruins and back on his motorbike for 50 somoni. It sounded like a reasonable deal. But by the time I was ready, he’d gone out with no indication of when he’d return. So I went out to look for taxis.
I’d just arrived in Tajikistan hours earlier from Uzbekistan – a country where prices in the local currency often range in the tens of thousands. In Tajikistan, in contrast, prices in somoni rarely go above double digits.
Being tired, I mistakenly added an extra zero when making an offer, saying 500 somoni instead of 50. That’s over $50 USD for a roundtrip journey of less than 5 km! And it was only while out exploring the ruins that I realized my mistake.
Surely, the driver understood that I actually meant 50, I thought, as nobody in their right mind would pay 500 somoni for such a short journey. But no, he really had expected me to cough up 500 somoni upon our arrival back in town (it seems like many locals see the average Westerner as just a notch below Elon Musk).
What followed was a tense back-and-forth discussion via Google Translate, during which I explained to the driver that my mistake was obvious, and that he was clearly just trying to take advantage of me as a foreigner who’d just arrived in his country.
Ultimately, I agreed to pay him 80 somoni for the inconvenience, which he begrudgingly accepted.
As every Central Asian country uses a different currency, learn from my mistake and be especially careful when negotiating here.
Sarazm
Located about 15 km west of the city center, right near the international border, is a site that’s even far older than Ancient Panjakent. Sarazm costs 30 somoni to enter at the time of writing, while you can learn more about getting there further below.
Sarazm was inhabited from around 3900 BC to 2100 BC. That makes it even older than the Andronovo Culture, the Indo-Iranian culture that migrated here in the 2nd millennium BC.
Despite its age, Sarazm was a sophisticated community with designated residential districts and a road network.
Overall, the site feels just as vast as Ancient Panjakent. But it’s divided into various pockets of excavations, most of which are situated beneath protective shelters.
First excavated in 1977 by Abdullah Isakov, there are currently a total of sixteen excavations, though just seven or eight seem accessible to visitors.
Conveniently, each little site features explanations in three languages: Russian, Tajik, and English.
Even though they’re much older, the foundations here are often even more distinct than those of Ancient Panjakent.
One of the most interesting sections is ‘Excavation V,’ which features a round building in its center. But as most sections of Sarazm were built and rebuilt over the course of many centuries, it’s not always easy to tell what you’re looking at.
The most remarkable dig site of all would have to be the former tomb belonging to whom archaeologists have nicknamed the ‘Princess of Sarazm.’
The young woman was found lying in fetal position together with beads made of precious stones, such as lapis lazuli and turquoise. Her hair, meanwhile, was decorated with dozens of gold beads, indicating that she was royalty.
When finished with the excavations, be sure to head to the excellent on-site museum.
The museum is massive and modern, which was a pleasant surprise given Sarazm’s obscurity. The various rooms display different objects uncovered at the site, including ceramic vessels, stone tools, and jewelry.
Even thousands of years ago, Sarazm was at the heart of a vast trading network. We know this due to the discovery of stones and other materials that could only be sourced elsewhere.
Sarazm likely had trade links with the Iranian Plateau and the Indus Valley, while items from as far away as Anatolia have been discovered here as well. Clearly, Sarazm served as a precursor to the important role that Sogdia would later play in Silk Road trade.
The museum’s highlight is a replica of the Princess of Sarazm’s grave, along with a sculpture of how an artist imagined her likeness.
And along the upper floors, you’ll find more displays of precious stone and metals, along with a full-scale model of what the original city may have looked like.
In front of the museum, meanwhile, is a replica of a traditional – but clearly more recent – Tajik village. During my visit, all of the replica structures were empty, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they sometimes hosted workshops or demonstrations.
All in all, Sarazm is the type of site for those with vivid imaginations, along with those who appreciate experiencing history in total peace and quiet.
While it’s a shame that most visitors go right past Sarazm and Ancient Panjakent to head straight for the lakes of Haft Kul, it’s also easy to see why these sites don’t have mass appeal. But I was certainly glad to have set an extra day aside to visit.
GETTING THERE: Ironically, despite being much further from the center of town, Sarazm is a bit easier to reach than Ancient Panjakent is. From near the bazaar, you should be able to find a shared taxi or minivan headed to the border for around 10 somoni. You can then ask your driver to drop you off by the ruins.
You’ll have to do a bit of walking from the highway to the ruins, however.
When finished at the ruins, I returned to the highway and waited for a marshrutka (minivan) headed for Panjakent. And it wasn’t long before one drove by. Mine was #8, but other numbers will likely be headed to the city from here as well.
Rather than head all the way to town, I had the driver drop me off at the Rudaki Museum. And when finished, I returned to the center on foot.
The Rudaki Museum
The Rudaki Museum is arguably Panjakent’s finest museum. And even though there’s plenty of overlap with the on-site museums discussed above, few visitors who have the time will regret stopping by.
Basic entry cost 30 somoni at the time of my visit, while I was also asked to pay an extra 15 to take photos.
The Rudaki Museum features additional artifacts from Sarazm, though not anything that stands out from the artifacts described above.
Another section, meanwhile, is dedicated to the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550 BC to 330 BC) – an ancient empire with which Tajiks feel much affinity.
For those getting acquainted with the region, all of the other former Soviet ‘stan’ countries are inhabited by a majority Turkic population. For example, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Turkmens, and Kazakhs are all different Turkic ethnic groups.
Tajiks, on the other hand, are essentially Persian. Tajik is a dialect of Farsi, while modern Tajiks are ethnically very similar to Persians in Iran. Therefore, you’ll observe a lot of glorification of Tajikistan’s ancient Persian heritage at museums around the country.
Also at the museum are more copies of Ancient Panjakent’s murals, along with a few that appear to be original.
You’ll also find ceramics from the 14th-15th centuries during the Timurid era. Notably, you won’t see much praise of Timur and his descendants (who were of Turko-Mongol origin) in Tajikistan like you will in nearby Samarkand, where he has an almost godlike status.
Before Turkic and Mongol dominance of Central Asia, the last Samanids were considered the last great Persian dynasty to control the region. And you’ll find Samanid artifacts on display here as well.
Mostly ruling out of Bukhara, their empire lasted from around the 9th-10th centuries before being taken over by the Turkic Ghaznavids.
And it was during the Samanid era that the poet and musician Rudaki (c. 858–941) – after whom this museum was named – lived.
Born in Panjakent, Rudaki was the first major poet to compose poetry in New Persian, the version of the language still spoken today.
He served as the Samanid court poet as the Samanids were actively trying to revitalize Persian poetry and literature.
Sadly, however, after his main patron passed away, he was eventually dismissed from the court and ended up living in poverty. Nevertheless, he’s still highly revered in both Tajikistan and Iran.
Moving on, you’ll encounter the Ethnography Hall, which features examples of traditional Tajik clothing, embroidery, and various local crafts. You don’t have to be an expert on embroidery to take delight in these beautiful patterns.
Finally, near the end of the museum is a room dedicated to modern, post-Soviet Tajikistan. Ever since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Tajikistan has been ruled by Emomali Rahmon, whose image you will see everywhere throughout the country.
From an outsider’s perspective, the cult of personality surrounding their leader is seldom seen these days, and I actually found it kind of fascinating.
With that said, while Tajikistan may appear like an old-school dictatorship on the surface, as a short-term visitor, I encountered smoother border crossings and fewer internet restrictions in Tajikistan than I did in neighboring Uzbekistan.
Additional Info
Contrary to what one might expect, Tajikistan has some of the most expensive accommodation in Central Asia.
As a budget traveler, I usually try to find private rooms with private bathrooms. But I made an exception and chose Sim-Sim Hostel due to the price and stellar reviews. So I went ahead and booked a private room (with shared bathroom) there.
However, upon checking reviews, some people complained that their private room was not actually private. And so I contacted the hotel in advance to confirm if I’d have a private room, and they said yes.
But when I arrived to check in, my ‘private room’ could only be accessed via the shared dorm room. And when I asked if there was any way to lock the door, they said no. Ultimately, though, the family moved me to another room that was actually private.
Aside from this issue, I enjoyed my stay at Sim-Sim, and the owner was really helpful with advice on transportation to other cities. They also kindly let me keep my things there during my one-night stay at Haft Kul.
Though a bit outside the center, other popular options are Rudaki Plaza and Inn Sogdiana.
From Samarkand:
For those crossing the border independently from Samarkand, you should first take a Yandex car to a place called Kaftarkhona (also spelled Kaftarxona).
Upon arrival, you’ll see numerous minivans lined up on the side of the road, and drivers will soon approach you to see if you’re headed to the border.
I’d read online that the price for the shared vans should cost 15,000-20,000 som. And I eventually did manage to haggle the price to 20,000 – down from 100,000 som!
But since, for whatever reason, these minivans have no luggage storage whatsoever, I was asked to pay an additional 10,000 som since my suitcase occupied an entire seat.
The ride to the border took an hour or so, and you’ll find money changers right before the crossing. Fortunately, the border crossing was quite relaxed on both sides.
Since a lot of tourists based in Samarkand cross this border to visit the lakes of Haft Kul each day, both countries probably realize it’s in their best interest to keep things relaxed.
But when departing Uzbekistan, you should be careful to have all of your paper slips from each hotel that you stayed at in the country. Though I wasn’t asked for them at this border, I was indeed asked later on when crossing from Andijan to Osh, Kyrgyzstan.
Once on the other side, you should be able to find a shared taxi to the center of town. I met a couple of other tourists who’d just crossed, and the three of us paid about 20 somoni each (about $2 USD). The driver even took me right to my hotel.
From Elsewhere in Tajikistan:
Tajikistan arguably has the most frustrating transportation system in Central Asia, as the only option between cities seems to be shared minivans or shared taxis. And it’s very difficult to find information about routes – and especially timetables – online.
Therefore, you’ll often have to rely on asking locals for advice. So while there should definitely be direct rides from both Dushanbe and Khujand, but you should ask at your hotel or Airbnb about where to find them.
In my case, when I ultimately left Panjakent (after having already visited Haft Kul), I headed straight to Iskanderkul Lake, which was far from straightforward. But you can learn more about that journey in our upcoming guide.